Local debutant Stan (NZ) (Shamexpress) lived up to the expectations of his trainer Robbie Patterson when he made a winning start to his racing career at New Plymouth. The robust son of Shamexpress had promised plenty since winning a trial back in April 2021 but a series of physical issues that saw him have bone chips removed from a fetlock along with a growth from his windpipe, has forced Patterson to play a waiting game before lining him up on Saturday. With plenty of educated local money on board that…
Month: September 2022
Aft Cabin dominates Guineas Prelude in torrential rain
Aft Cabin ridden by Jamie Kah wins the Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) As the rain came thumping down, so did Aft Cabin and Jamie Kah who showed the 2022 Caulfield Guineas Prelude field a clean pair of heels to kick off the bend and take home his first Group race of his short career. The three-year-old colt smashed his rivals in horrible conditions to give Godolphin another live chance to go back-to-back in the Caulfield Guineas after Anamoe’s win in last year edition. After…
Wayne Davis to ride at Winton on Saturday
Darwin jockey Wayne Davis with the Phil Cole-trained Saccharo, who has saluted in the Birdsville and Bedourie Cups in Queensland in recent weeks, on Thursday prior to the race meeting at Winton in central west Queensland on Saturday. Davis has a full book of rides at Winton and Saccharo will line up in the Longreach Cup next weekend. There’s no racing in the Northern Territory this weekend, so veteran Darwin-based jockey Wayne Davis has headed to Queensland. The ever-smiling 51-year-old will be riding at the six-race meeting at Winton in…
Overpass going ‘better than ever’ ahead of The Shorts
The long-striding Overpass (Tim Clark aboard) pictured winning the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill on January 29. Picture: Bradley Photographers. He beat the great Nature Strip in his trial on September 1, so his winning odds of $18 with Ladbrokes are very generous. That is the opinion of Bjorn Baker – who trains Overpass – heading into the $1 million The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday. “You become very biased when it’s your own horse. I think he’s a very good each-way bet,” Baker told Sky Racing, with…
Pursell’s Million Dollar ‘Mac’
Lara trainer Brendan Pursell and well-travelled sprinter McInerney will be striving to become Victoria’s first Million Dollar Chase winners at Wentworth Park next Saturday night (September 24). McInerney, which ran third in the Group 1 National Sprint Championship in Sydney last month, when representing Tasmania, was victorious in the last of eight ‘must win’ MDC semi-finals held on Friday night. The superbly-related son of Fernando Bale and G1 winner Born Ali, bred and raced by Victorian Noel Mugavin, was making his third straight appearance at Wentworth Park, after running second…
Luckie’s star continues to shine
It’s been a week to remember for Luckie Karabitsakos, with his record-breaking 2020 Melbourne Cup hero Hard Style Rico siring his first winner. Hard Style Rico’s first runner, Stylish Rico, was victorious at Albion Park last Sunday, opening his account at his second start. “They’re very proud moments,” said Karabitsakos. “At his first start, at Ipswich, Stylish Rico was going for the front, but they closed the gap and he fell, so it was fantastic to see him come out and do that at his next start. “His trainer, Brent…
Akuta – “can win..but not expecting him to”
By Michael Guerin He’s a $1.90 favourite on the fixed odds but champion trainer Mark Purdon has a word of warning for punters as Akuta prepares to take the step into open class. The sensational three-year-old pacer will take on established elite level pacers in Krug, Alta Wiseguy and Pembrook Playboy in the $30,000 Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. How he performs on Sunday and in his next two starts may well determine whether Akuta will be given his chance in the IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington on…
Williams, Williamson and Gray talk Oamaru
The Oamaru Harness Racing Club has continued to provide all of the information punters need ahead of the huge Placemakers Hannon Memorial meeting on Sunday. Following interviews with Mark Purdon and Cran Dalgety, the Oamaru HRC Facebook page features more chats with leading trainers and drivers who have key runners entered in our feature races. Racing journalist Jonny Turner caught up Tim Williams to discuss the progress of Alta Wiseguy who goes into the Hannon Memorial second up on the back of a big win in the New Brighton Cup.…
Stella Splendida impresses on debut
Impeccably-bred filly Stella Splendida justified her $1.30 favouritism when running away to a 1-1/2 length victory in the Taupo Veterinary Centre (1200m) at Taupo on Friday. On debut, the daughter of Zoustar was up on the speed early for jockey Opie Bosson before he elected to ease her back towards the rear of the field. The leading hoop pushed the go button on his filly with 400m to go and she quickly looped the field and showed her class when blitzing the field in the straight to win effortlessly with…
Kiwi-breds set to strike for Waller
Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller will have a two-pronged New Zealand-bred attack in the Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday with No Compromise and Kukeracha. Group One winner Kukeracha finished eighth in the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) first-up and Waller is expecting an improved performance this weekend. “He has come back well,” Waller said. “He has had the benefit of lead-up runs, trials, and he should be starting to get fitter now.” Kukeracha was bred by former Waikato Stud vet Dr Chris Phillips and purchased out of…